Indian History can be classified into three periods:

Ancient India
Medieval India
Modern India.
Ancient India (Pre-historic to AD 700)
There were activities of proto humans (Homo erectus) in the Indian subcontinent 20 lakh
years (2 million years) ago, and of Homo sapiens since 70,000 BC. But they were
gathers/hunters.
The first inhabitants of Indian subcontinent might have been tribals like Nagas
(North-East), Santhals (East-India), Bhils (Central India), Gonds (Central India), Todas
(South India) etc.
Most of them are speakers of the Austric, pre-Dravidian languages, such as Munda
and Gondvi. Dravidians and Aryans are believed to be immigrants who came later to
the sub-continent.
Ancient India can be studied under other heads like Paleolithic, Mesolithic,
Neolithic and Chalcolithic period based on the type of stone/ metal tools people
used.
Paleolithic Period (2 million BC 10,000 BC)
Fire
Tools made up of lime stone
Ostrich Eggs
Important Paleolithic sites : Bhimbetka (M.P), Hunsgi, Kurnool Caves, Narmada
Valley (Hathnora, M.P), Kaladgi Basin
Mesolithic Period (10,000 BC 8,000 BC)
Major Climatic Change happened
Domestication of animals ie Cattle rearing started
Microliths found at Brahmagiri (Mysore), Narmada, Vindya, Gujarat
Neolithic Period (8000 BC 4,000 BC)
Agriculture Started
Wheel discovered
Inamgaon = An early village
 Important Neolithic Sites : Burzahom(Kashmir), Gufkral(Kashmir),
Mehrgarh(Pakistan), Chirand(Bihar), Daojali Hading(Tripura/Assam), Koldihwa(UP),
Mahagara(UP), Hallur(AP), Paiyampalli(AP), Maski, Kodekal, Sangana Kaller, Utnur,
Takkala Kota.
NB: Megalithic Sites: Brahmagiri, Adichanallur
Chalcolithic Period (4000 BC 1,500 BC)
Copper Age. Can be considered part of Bronze Age. (Bronze = Copper + Tin)
Indus Valley Civilization(BC 2700 BC 1900).
Also cultures at Brahmagiri, Navada Toli (Narmada region), Mahishadal (W.Bengal),
Chirand (Ganga region)
Iron Age (BC 1500 BC 200)
Vedic Period (Arrival of Aryans ie. BC 1600 BC 600) Nearly 1000 years (Basic
books of Hinduism, ie Vedas were composed, might have written down later.)
Jainism and Buddhism
Mahajanapadas Major Civilization after Indus Valley- On banks of river Ganga
Magadha empire Bimbisara of Haryanka Kula
Sisunga dyanasy Kalasoka (Kakavarnin)
Nanda empire Mahapadma-nanda, Dhana-nanda
Persian- Greek : Alexander 327 BC
Mauryan Empire (321-185 BC)
Chandra Gupta Maurya, Bindusara, Asoka
Post Mauryan Kingdoms (Middle Kingdoms):
Sunga (181-71 BC), Kanva (71-27BC), Satavahanas (235-100BC), Indo-Greeks,
Parthians (19-45AD), Sakas (90BC-150AD), Kushanas(78AD)
South Indian Kingdoms Chola, Chera, Pandyas (BC 300)
Gupta Kingdom (300AD 800AD) : Classical Period
Samudra Gupta (Indian Napoleon)
Post Guptas or Contemporary Guptas
Harshvardana, Vakatakas, Pallavas, Chalukyas. Also, Hunas, Maitrakas, Rajputs,
Senas and Chauhans.
Medieval India (AD 700 AD 1857)
AD: 800-1200: Tri partite struggle Prathiharas, Palas and Rashtrakutas
 Attack of Muhammed Bin Kassim (AD 712)
Rise of Islam and Sufism
Mohammed Ghazni (AD 1000-27)
Mohammed Ghori (AD 1175-1206)
* Kingdoms of South India During Medieval India Bhamini and Vijayanagara
Delhi Sultanate (1206 AD 1526 AD)
1. Slave Dynasty
2. Kilji Dynasty
3. Tuglaq Dynasty
4. Sayyid Dynasty
5. Lodi Dyanasty
Mughals (AD 1526 AD 1857)
Great Mughals
Later Mughals
Arrival of Europeans
Other Kingdoms of North India Marathas, Sikhs
Modern India (AD 1857 +)
First War of Indian Independence (1857)
Formation of Indian National Congress (1885)
Formation of Muslim League (1906)
Non Co-operation Movement (1920)
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)
Quit India Movement (1942)
Partition of India (1947)
Constitutional Development of India (1946 1950)
Economic Development of India
Wars India-Pak Formation of Bangladesh; India- China
New Economic Policy of 1991
Nuclear, Space and Defense Development